...Hip-hop culture is everywhere. The culture, which encompasses rapping, deejaying, break-dancing and graffiti-writing, has become so popular that it has entered mainstream fashion and modern language. It doesn't stop there. The culture permeates everything from TV commercials to toys to video games. Currently, there is even a hip-hop exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. You name it, and hip hop is there representing. However, hip hop's most potent form is its rap music--embraced by urban Blacks and suburban Whites alike. It is raw self-expression that sometimes features profane lyrics, misogyny and violence. The music, along with rap videos that often present a disturbing mix of rap, hip-hop dance styles, fashion and language, leave many people asking: Is hip-hop culture harming our youth" "The hip-hop culture is just like electricity," civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton told JET. "It can be used negatively or positively. The same electric current that lights up your house can also electrocute you. It is the misuse of hip-hop culture to attack our women and promote violence. We must encourage the proper use of hip-hop culture. We are all influenced by the hip-hop generation." Sharpton, who recently hosted a special summit on social responsibility in the hip-hop industry, labeled gangsta rappers "well-paid slaves." Advertisement "Don't let some record executive tell you that cursing out your mama is in style. Anytime...
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...Mainstream hip hop music has been the center of criticism and controversy since its origins. The values of hip hop can vary, but the majority of mainstream hip hop does not have as much diversity, when it comes to the values it represents, as other subcultures in the hip hop world. Mainstream hip hop shares many of the same values as the dominant American society, which include the values of respect, money, and power. In the writings of Scott Crossley, he proclaims on the subject of hip hop “Rap’s ability to impact social change is immense, but this success is tarnished given that some of the social changes the rap brings about are arguably negative and counterintuitive” (Crossley 509). Hip hop as a whole has created just as many positive messages as they have questionable messages; but when corporations get involved and the music turns mainstream, the messages become eerily similar. Mainstream hip hop artists have always yearned for respect in the culture. Hip hop artists are always on the warpath for lyrical supremacy, competition has always been a huge part of hip hop. Which ever rapper can recite the most original and exciting lyrics can gain a large audience. Once a rapper has a large fan base, respect is gained from other rappers, media networks, and listeners alike. The art of the “battle” is very much alive in current mainstream hip hop. If a 2 rapper disrespects another rapper or his associates, a “battle” on a record can ensue. Most recently rapper Jay-Z “dissed”...
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...IS HIP HOP DEAD? Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………..2 1.FOOTSTEPS/ BRIEF HISTORY ……………………………………………………….3 2.THE HIP HOP GAME/ INDUSTRY ………………………………………………….7 3. UNDERGROUND ………………………………………………………………………..10 5. SAMPLING …………………………………………………………………………………11 6. CREATIVITY IN THE TWO WORLDS ……………………………………………..13 7.SALVATION …………………………………………………………………………………16 CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………………………17 BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION The phrase “Hip-Hop Is Dead” can be found everywhere around hip hop community discussions during the last years. Rapper “Nas” titled his eighth album in 2006 with this statement, and has caused a controversy among rap artists and listeners all over the world. But comparing today`s hip hop music with the roots of hip hop can we really claim that hip-hop is really dead? If so, what are the facts that lead in the death of hip hop? What does its demise mean for the average fan? How to bring it back? Does it mean the genre will go down in irrelevance like what happened in disco music? All these questions will be investigated during this paper, and to understand this complicate statement itself, we should figure out what the statement really means. Maybe it is the fact that most of the genre’s songs and music videos look exactly the same. Maybe it’s the mainstream hip-hop game’s emphasis in ridiculously shinning jewelry, the sexism and the focus on money and women. Better yet, according to Mickey Hess, “hip-hop’s...
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...INTRODUCTION Culture of Hip-hop was born in 1970 and it keeps developing until today. Hip-hop basically has four kinds of forms which are DJing, Rapping, Graffiti, Break-dancing, and Beatboxing. However why music, in this case is Rapping, can build great influence to the listeners. Music is form of cultural expression that does not necessary experience race and other identity relationships. This aspect appeals to youth experiences because racial identities do not mean only simply one thing for them. Since identities of race are combination of multiple identities, such as national context, class, and even gender. This turns up in Hip-hop music which focuses on mixed identities to find local’s expression. Hip-hop music is no longer seen only as song to listen but has become a lifestyle to youth in modern era. They feel this music can represent them who are struggling to find meaning and identities in their society which most of them do, regardless of they are White, Black, Asian, etc. However, other kinds of Hip-hop culture like graffiti art and break dancing also have same influence like Hip-hop music. This condition makes business players who are outside of Hip-hop industry find opportunity to contract famous and successful Hip-hop music artist to commercialize their products. These companies use the mindset that has been built by the artist and indirectly put that image in the commodities which appeal to young consumers. The thesis of this paper is how Hip-hop cultures specifically...
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...Hip Hop: A Way of Thinking? Since the development of hip hop nearly three decades, it has become a ubiquitous form of music in the nation, influencing the youth with its edgy music and empathetic lyrics. First pioneered in the streets of New York as a response to the oppression of blacks during the civil rights movement, hip hop and its successful influence on its listeners, especially the black youth, was able to thrive due to its uncanny ability to adapt and respond to the problems that that era presents. From the socially and politically conscious hip hop (SPC hip hop) during the civil rights movements to the mainstream music we hear on the radio today, the difference in message projected by today’s modern, hyper-masculine hip hop onto society compared with that of SPC hip hop has become a controversial subject criticized by American media such as Byron Hurt’s movie “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” and Tricia Rose’s article “There Are Bitches and Hoes.” With regards to the negatives that hip-hop music could have on society, the songs “Let Nas Down” by J. Cole, “Come Get Me” by Jay-Z and “Bitches Ain’t Shit” by YG each respectively complicate, exemplify and extend Hurt’s claims that hip hop artists solely produce generic, hyper masculine mainstream music for the production of records; glorify violence and negatively portray women as sexual objects in order to prove their man hood. When the song “Let Nas Down” by J. Cole is analyzed through a historical context and compared...
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...Hip-hop began as a form of African-American street culture in New York City during the 1970s (Watkins, 2001), but the art has expanded to become a multi-billion dollar industry (Atkinson & Halliday, 2003), mostly due to the success of rap music, the most widely publicized and marketed aspect. Media such as television and magazines are responsible for hip-hop’s global recognition today, allowing everyone from the United States to Germany and Korea to embrace the culture (Bennett, 1999). Hip-hop culture has made an enormous transition from its beginning stages to its current state. Early hip-hop reduced inner-city gang violence, as aspects such as the break dancing and rapping acted as positive outlets for at-risk youth, but the emergence of “gangsta” and commercial rap during the 1990s severely lessened the emphasis on non-violence (Watkins, 2001). Today, media associate hip-hop culture with drugs, sex, and violence (Yousman, 2003). This research paper will analyze advertisements in hip-hop magazines, with the aim of discovering how women are depicted. Specifically, this paper will examine how the majority of advertisements within three major hip-hop magazines in the United States depict women in a manner that both reinforces male dominance in American society and depicts women as sexual objects. This paper will also explain and demonstrate how the media images are functioning according to Professor George Gerbner’s cultivation theory. Several scholarly sources deal with...
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...From John Singleton’s Boyz in the Hood to Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, black film and the emergence of a subsequent hip-hop visual markers have posited African-American kaleidoscopes of a view into aspects of the so-called ‘black experience’ in social terms. Music and song scores in film today – across the board – are replete with hip-hop representations. Munby maintains that the “low-budget” characteristics of Rudy Ray Moore’s effort to appeal to black audiences in the pre-1980s, given his “irreverent attitude to the laws that govern mainstream moviemaking” had failed to measure up to what hegemonic society deemed as ‘good’ black film (204). Yet, three key areas of discourse of hip-hop influences in cinema persist around the culture of...
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...movement. For the music genre, see Hip hop music. For other uses, see Hip hop (disambiguation). Graffiti of "hip hop" in Eugene, Oregon Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic subculture that originated in African-American and Hispanic-American communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx.[1][2][3] DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, B-boying and graffiti writing.[4][5][6][7] [8] Since its emergence in the South Bronx, hip hop culture has spread to both urban and suburban communities throughout the world.[9] Hip hop music first emerged with disc jockeys creating rhythmic beats by looping breaks (small portions of songs emphasizing a percussive pattern) on two turntables, more commonly referred to as sampling. This was later accompanied by "rap", a rhythmic style of chanting or poetry presented in 16 bar measures or time frames, and beatboxing, a vocal technique mainly used to imitate percussive elements of the music and various technical effects of hip hop DJ's. An original form of dancing and particular styles of dress arose among fans of this new music. These elements experienced considerable refinement and development over the course of the history of the culture. The relationship between graffiti and hip hop culture arises from the appearance of new and increasingly elaborate and pervasive forms of the practice in areas where other elements of hip hop were evolving as art forms, with a...
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...opportunity in the underground music genre Hip-hop (p.154). From that moment on Russell knew he could capitalize off hip-hop. Not only did Russell take a chance on an opportunity, he formed a great record label with his friend Rick Rubin called Def Jam Records. However his success did not stop there Russell went on to create a clothing line, Rush Communications and many other ventures. With his knowledge of street entrepreneurship and the philosophy of “keeping it real” (p.154-155), Russell Simmons was able to promote his ventures with great success, making him one of the biggest entrepreneurs ever. Marketing a business can be a challenge; you must know what the people want and how to deliver what they need. Targeting a market that will buy your product is very important. For Russell Simmons his target market was geared toward his surroundings, urban youth. Jennifer Reingold (2003) illustrates “He is not a man who made it big and then abandoned his roots but rather one who is still as comfortable on the streets of the inner city as he has become on Wall Street”. Within that statement one can conclude that Russell Simmons targeted a culture he is familiar with and still associates with while achieving success. The urban youths and Russell Simmons shared the same beliefs of staying authentic and telling the truth, which made it easier for the hip-hop culture to gain his trust and respect. In addition to being surrounded by the hip-hop culture Russell Simmons had an advantage...
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...Hip-Hop has been and will extend to be one of the most mighty heritage movements of the up to date world. It is best accepted for its leverage on the melodies industry. Before hip-hop evolved publicly, it was a localized wonder that had blown out usually in underprivileged localities all over New York City. Ever since then Hip-Hop has been adept to leverage persons to proceed differently. The attractiveness of Hip-Hop has been subjugated by enterprise persons to conceive profit. Of all the performers on MTV, rappers obtain the most vigilance for their proficiency to continue their proficiency to articulate their outlooks in bold manners. Hip-hop has evolved considerably since the end of the 1980’s when it was advised to be the CNN for very dark youth by Chuck D. It was inescapable for Hip-Hop to originate from the below ground sound and become more commercialized at one issue or another. However, if this action was a contradictory or affirmative occurrence is contended about by many. Commercialization is generally the submission of enterprise in alignment to earnings or to exploit. This procedure has stayed one of the objectives of persons in the hip-hop culture. Hip-hop devotes persons the opening to display their gifts of rapping, break-dancing, DJing and graffiti to profit from cash and reside what was advised a perfect lifestyle. The culture of Hip-Hop is going into the mainstream by the use of melodies and corrects publicizing. A couple of persons make it and become very...
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...“Walk This Way” to “The Show Goes On”: The Progression of Rap Compared to other genres of music, rap is considered to be pretty new. Rap, or hip-hop, is constantly evolving, as do other types of music. Rap is simply described as, “talking in rhyme to the rhythm of a beat” (Hip Hop). When rap was getting started, it only consisted of DJs mixing some beats together along with beat boxing and sampling other songs. As the years went on, people decided to rap over the beats and create a perfect rap song. Some rappers are lyrical geniuses, while others make music purely for a good party song. The radio does not do a good job of playing a variety of rap, now a days mainstream rap that is only good for dancing is being played on the radio. Mainstream rap, to some, would not be considered good music purely because the lyrics are extremely basic. Artists like Run-DMC first started the phenomena, Tupac and Biggie Smalls made rap extremely popular, and present day rappers like Lupe Fiasco keep advancing the music. Run-DMC was not the first rapper to start, but he is a big reason why rap is so popular today. Run-DMC was a hip-hop group located in Queens, New York, and is widely known to be the most influential acts in the history of the hip-hop culture. They were the first group in the genre to have a gold album, and to be nominated to the Grammy Awards. In 1982, Run-DMC released “Sucker MCs” which was a huge hit. Allison Smith illustrates, “This blast of rhythmic minimalism...
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...Composer “Blood on the Leaves” by Kanye West – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9os5qNv_RI Kanye “Yeezy” West’s polarizing album “Yeezus” is a defining moment in the history of hip-hop. Kanye’s confrontational lyrics coupled with brash production work perfectly captures a sense of urgency. The urgency to redefine music as well as critically examine the world around us. With political undertones combined with the playfulness of hip-hop, Kanye’s frustration is captured as he weaves his way through the album. One of the stand-out tracks of this album is “Blood on the Leaves,” which juxtaposes varying ideas of slavery and explores what it means to be “enslaved.” Because the production of hip hop music is primarily created with the use of electronic musical instruments like Akai’s Music Production Controller (MPC), it is easier to “sample” music. Sampling music is based around the idea of taking certain sections of songs or sound recordings and reusing it to create a new song entirely. The sampling of primarily funk, soul, and jazz music in hip-hop is the direct result of the music lineage of African Americans in the twentieth century and therefore shares certain commonalities. The many overlaps between the genres in terms of style and lyrical content allows for these samples to coexist harmoniously in hip-hop tracks. Sampling is derived from the idea that referencing another artist will add to the potency of one’s music. By using a sample to evoke a message that resonates with the...
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...Hip-hop on the silver screen has in the modern era been awarded a significant portion of blockbuster film soundtracks, showcased in films such as The Fast and The Furious series and, perhaps more relevant to this coursework: Straight Outta Compton. In order for one to make a proper distinction between the concepts of a “hip-hop film” and “hip-hop in film”, one must first understand the basic semantics of the argument proposed. The core difference lies in that the “hip-hop film” implies an overarching theme of hip-hop culture prevalent within the film, foretelling the potential viewer that the film may include forms of expression like breaking, DJing, graffiti work, and MCing. A film like Straight Outta Compton is a perfect example of a “hip-hop...
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...This article was downloaded by: [University of California Santa Barbara] On: 13 April 2012, At: 11:44 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/gred20 Scared Straight: Hip-Hop, Outing, and the Pedagogy of Queerness Marc Lamont Hill Available online: 20 Jan 2009 To cite this article: Marc Lamont Hill (2009): Scared Straight: Hip-Hop, Outing, and the Pedagogy of Queerness, Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 31:1, 29-54 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10714410802629235 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/termsand-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions...
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...“Each generation must out of relative obscurity discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it” - Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth In cultures all over the world, music can be seen encompassing many aspects of life for many individuals. It is a form of mass communication that speaks directly to society as a cultural form", and often reflects a collection and pattern of personal experiences. Hip-hop or rap, an art form and culture nearly thirty years old originating from The Bronx, New York, has provided a forum for Black and Latino youth to express their respective cultures and speak on a number of issues. Today, Hip-hop is a global phenomenon that appeals to almost all ethnicities and is synthesizing a new culture that goes beyond race, education, and income. Hip-hop has been under continual metamorphosis since its 1970’s inner-city inception. Some of the original artists like Kurtis Blow chose to lament everyday life in the ghettos. Others, Sugar Hill Gang among them, took a more dance inspired approach to the music. But for both these and other artists from the early years of rap through the late 1980’s including KRS-One, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah and LL Cool J, fast beats and socially relevant lyrics were among the primary components of the music. By the 1990’s a new face of rap music emerged. It began with Ice T and later gained popularity with artists such as NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitude) whose first album shocked and titillated the rap world with their...
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